Podcasts, radio shows, writing and more by Alex Fitch

January 30, 2016

Excerpts from Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua, Behind the Curtain by Klimowski and Schejbal

Drawn from life: In the first Panel Borders of 2016, Alex Fitch talks to three cartoonists who work in biography and autobiography. Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal discuss their memoir about life in 1970s communist Warsaw – Behind the Curtain – and Sydney Padua explores her fictionalised account of the birth of computing – The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage – in a panel discussion recorded at Stoke Newington Literary Festival, 2015. (Originally broadcast as the first half of a Clear Spot on Resonance 104.4 FM, 14th January 2016)

January 12, 2016

Excerpts from Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua, Behind the Curtain by Klimowski and Schejbal, Just so happens by Fumio Obata, plus Fitch and Obata at Cartoon County (photo by Corinne Pearlman)

In the first Panel Borders of 2016, Alex Fitch talks to four cartoonists who work in biography and autobiography. Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal discuss their memoir about life in 1970s communist Warsaw – Behind the Curtain – and Sydney Padua explores her fictionalised account of the birth of computing – The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage – in a panel discussion recorded at Stoke Newington Literary Festival, 2015.

Also, in a Q and A recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, Alex talks to Fumio Obata about his graphic novel Just so happens, which fictionalises his experiences of working as an artist in England and Japan, and his web comics about the Fukushima disaster. (Panel Borders continues on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8pm, repeated the following day at 9am.)

Stills from The Interrogation of Pilot Pirx and Icarus XB-1 based on the work of Stanislaw Lem

Electric Sheep Magazine editor Virginie Sélavy talks to Russian scholar Sergei Kapterev (Institute of Cinema Art in Moscow) about Soviet science fiction and the connection between SF cinema and politics, the impact of the space race and the Cold War period, and Roger Corman’s re-edits of popular Soviet SF films. (Originally broadcast 15/07/11 on Resonance FM)

Plus, in a Q and A recorded at SCI-FI-LONDON, April, 2010, Alex Fitch talks to Polish poster designer Andrzej Klimowski and SF writer / journalist Wojciech Orliński about cinematic adaptations of the work of Stanisław Lem from Steven Soderbergh and Andrei Tarkovsky’s adaptations of Solaris to more offbeat films such as Edward Zebrowski’s The Hospital of Transfiguration.

For more information and a variety of formats you can stream / download, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Edited broadcast 11/06/10 as an episode of I’m ready for my close-up on Resonance 104.4 FM

Still from On the Silver Globe by Andrzej Zulawski and posters for The Godfather part II, Nashville and Stranger than Paradise by Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal

On the Silver Globe, an estoric Polish Sci-Fi epic directed by in 1977 – then lost and believed destroyed by the authorities for a decade before its cinema release – was screened at Tate Modern last year as part of a mini season of films titled: ‘Polish New Wave – The History of a Phenomenon that Never Existed’. Looking ahead to the release of this film on DVD on the UK, Alex Fitch talks to the director – Andrzej Żuławski – about his struggles in getting the film released and the travails in making his horror films The Third Part of the Night (1971) and Possession (1981) under the eyes of a communist regime.Alex also talks to Polish poster designer Andrzej Klimowski and his wife Danusia Schejbal (famously depicted as the victim of an assassin’s bullet on Klimowski’s poster for Robert Altman’s Nashville) about working on the fringes of Polish film making in the late 1970s and whether the films of the time could be seen as belonging to an artistic movement.

More for more information and a variety of formats you can stream / download, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Since 2002 satirical cartoonist Martin Rowson has been drawing exclusive covers and illustrations for New Humanist magazine. Rowson’s acid nib has provided the perfect visual accompaniment to New Humanist’s cheeky godlessness. Show features more than 50 pieces from a unique collaboration truly made in hell.

June 11, 2010

Still from On the Silver Globe by Andrzej Zulawski and posters for The Godfather part II, Nashville and Stranger than Paradise by Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal

On the Silver Globe, an estoric Polish Sci-Fi epic directed by in 1977 – then lost and believed destroyed by the authorities for a decade before its cinema release – was screened at Tate Modern last year as part of a mini season of films titled: ‘Polish New Wave – The History of a Phenomenon that Never Existed’. Looking ahead to the release of this film on DVD on the UK, Alex Fitch talks to the director – Andrzej Żuławski – about his struggles in getting the film released and the travails in making his horror films The Third Part of the Night (1971) and Possession (1981) under the eyes of a communist regime.Alex also talks to Polish poster designer Andrzej Klimowski and his wife Danusia Schejbal (famously depicted as the victim of an assassin’s bullet on Klimowski’s poster for Robert Altman’s Nashville) about working on the fringes of Polish film making in the late 1970s and whether the films of the time could be seen as belonging to an artistic movement.

Since 2002 satirical cartoonist Martin Rowson has been drawing exclusive covers and illustrations for New Humanist magazine. Rowson’s acid nib has provided the perfect visual accompaniment to New Humanist’s cheeky godlessness. Show features more than 50 pieces from a unique collaboration truly made in hell.

The latest and possibly final edition of Electric Sheep magazine has just been released and is available from various stockists… Electric Sheep is edited by Virginie Sélavy with assistance by Alex Fitch, Sarah Cronin and Toby Weidmann.

This issue includes (excerpts / not final versions) comic strip reviews of Where the sidewalk ends by Hannah Berry and Whirlpool by Mark Stafford, plus illustrations by Daniel Locke and James Stringer to accompany articles on Edgar Wallace ‘Krimi’ films and Biker movies respectively plus words (review of Stingray Sam) and a picture (to illustrate a review of Day Night Day Night) by “We are words and pictures” a.k.a. Matt Sheret and Julia Scheele.

The magazine also includes a conversation between Alex Fitch and Andrew Cartmel (Doctor Who script editor 1987-89) about the enduring appeal of The Prisoner, an article by Andrzej Klimowski about creating posters for Jim Jarmusch films, reviews of upcoming film and DVD releases and much, much more…

Donate to The Stroke Association and get free DVDs / CDs in exchange…
BBC audio director Neil Gardner (The Brightonomicon / Doctor Who: Hornet’s Nest) is offering choice items from his CD, DVD and book collection in exchange for donations to The Stroke Association and will match any amount donated x 2!

November 4, 2009

For the seventh meeting of the Electric Sheep Film Club at the Prince Charles Cinema off Leicester Square, we’re showing the classic London-set thriller about paranoia and claustrophobia:

Repulsion (1965)

Catherine Deneuve in Repulsion

One of Roman Polanski’s finest films and the first he made in the UK, Repulsion charts the mental disintegration of a sexually troubled, beautiful young woman played by Catherine Deneuve. As elegant as it is creepy, Polanski’s taut psychological horror thriller superbly conveys the character’s claustrophobic loneliness and contrasts the mundanity of her life in 60s London with the startling surreal hallucinations that increasingly take over her inner world. An absolute 60s classic.

With thanks to BFI. The film will be followed by informal discussion with Electric Sheep writers in the bar.

FILM WRITING COMPETITION:
Film students and aspiring film writers are invited to enter our film writing competition: write a 200-word review of Repulsion and send it to ladyvengeance (at) electricsheepmagazine.com, marked ‘Film writing competition’ in the subject line. A film professional will select the best review, and we are delighted to have renowned Polish film poster designer Andrzej Klimowski as our judge this month. Deadline: November 18. The selected review will be published on the Electric Sheep website. This is a new regular feature of the Electric Sheep Film Club. You can read last month’s winning review of Rollerball here.

5th to the 26th of November: Comica, the three week festival of comics in and around the Institute of Comtemporary Arts in London includes appearances by Eddie Campbell, David Lloyd, Brian Talbot, James Jean and Tara McPherson. – more info at www.comicafestival.com

19th to the 22nd of November: The Thought Bubble sequential art festival in Leeds which includes appearances by Paul Cornell, Gary Erskine, Garen Ewing, Andy Diggle, Frank Quietly and many more – more info at www.thoughtbubblefestival.com(more…)

Continuing adaptation and inspiration month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to the illustrators of some recent literary adaptations in comic book format. Self Made Hero is a relatively new publishing company who have made a name for themselves with their range of Manga Shakespeare adaptations and are now doing European style graphic novels of literary classics. Alex talks to Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal, their illustrators and adaptors of The Master and Margarita and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Pat Mills and Ilya will be talking about their work at Streatham Library as part of Lambeth Readers and Writers festival. Pat will be discussing Charley’s War, Slaine, ABC Warriors, Marshall Law, Judge Dredd, Nemesis The Warlock and many other strips and Ilya will be talking about his roots in the small press, editing the Mammoth Best New Manga anthologies and adapting King Lear into Manga format…

ARGH! The Ups & Downs of Life as a Comic Book Creator – I was Spider-Man’s EditorSaturday 23rd May 2009 8.00PM
Stories told in pictures have been around for a long time .. from prehistoric cave drawings through the Bayeaux Tapestry, illustrator and editor, Tim Quinn takes you on a highly nostalgic trip down memory lane to meet some of the great and not-so-great comic characters of the last 150 years.
Tim also takes you behind-the-scenes from his days working for The Beano, Sparky, Bunty, Playhour, Jack & Jill, Buster, The Topper, the Daily Mirror’s Jane and Garth and America’s finest Marvel Comics. He will guide you through the creation of a brand new comic book charcter and reveal his own secret identity as Supreme Speedster, Jet Lagg.
The audience is invited to attend wearing capes and masks. Suitable for boys (of all ages and sexes). Ages 9+
Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, North Finchley, London N12 0GA
More info at www.artsdepot.co.uk

100 Years of Korean Manwha is now on at the Korean Cultural Centre
Manhwa celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2009. This popular art form holds a long and cherished history that began with the first publication of Doyoung Lee’s political cartoons in “Daehanminbo.”, a print newspaper was founded on June 2, 1909, and manhwa was born along with it. Following its birth, manhwa had to endure Korea’s tumultuous history under Japanese colonial rule. Manhwa survived the time periods of national liberation, the dark years of the Korean War, and through the dismal military dictatorship. The 80’s and 90’s of the 20th century marked the renaissance of manhwa. Manhwa published during these bygone eras help us reflect on our nation’s past.
1 May – 24 June 2009. 13 Strand, London WC2N 5BW. Tel. 020 7004 2600
More info at londonkoreanlinks.net

May 21, 2009

Continuing adaptation and inspiration month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to the illustrators of some new and recent literary adaptations in comic book format. Self Made Hero is a relatively new publishing company who have made a name for themselves with their range of Manga Shakespeare adaptations and are now doing European style graphic novels of literary classics. Alex talks to Ian Culbard, artist of Ian Edginton’s adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Hound of the Baskervilles and to Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal, illustrators and adaptors of The Master and Margarita and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Alex Fitch talks to Academy Award winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman about his new film Synecdoche, New York, the challenges of directing his own script, working with Spike Jones and Michel Gondry on his previous screenplays such as Being John Malkovich and Human Nature and issues of post-modernism and magical realism in his work. Alex also talks to Electric Sheep Magazine editor Virginie Selavy about Synecdoche, New York looking at Kaufman’s depictions of the internal workings of the human mind in that film and in earlier scripts such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind.

Pat Mills and Ilya will be talking about their work at Streatham Library as part of Lambeth Readers and Writers festival. Pat will be discussing Charley’s War, Slaine, ABC Warriors, Marshall Law, Judge Dredd, Nemesis The Warlock and many other strips and Ilya will be talking about his roots in the small press, editing the Mammoth Best New Manga anthologies and adapting King Lear into Manga format…

ARGH! The Ups & Downs of Life as a Comic Book Creator – I was Spider-Man’s EditorSaturday 23rd May 2009 8.00PM
Stories told in pictures have been around for a long time .. from prehistoric cave drawings through the Bayeaux Tapestry, illustrator and editor, Tim Quinn takes you on a highly nostalgic trip down memory lane to meet some of the great and not-so-great comic characters of the last 150 years.
Tim also takes you behind-the-scenes from his days working for The Beano, Sparky, Bunty, Playhour, Jack & Jill, Buster, The Topper, the Daily Mirror’s Jane and Garth and America’s finest Marvel Comics. He will guide you through the creation of a brand new comic book charcter and reveal his own secret identity as Supreme Speedster, Jet Lagg.
The audience is invited to attend wearing capes and masks. Suitable for boys (of all ages and sexes). Ages 9+
Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, North Finchley, London N12 0GA
More info at www.artsdepot.co.uk

October 8, 2007

Alex Fitch concludes his interview with artist, novelist and lecturer at The Royal College of Art, Andrzej Klimowski about his graphic novels ‘The Depository’, ‘The Secret’ and ‘Horace Dorlan’ plus his work on the ‘Introducing…’ / ‘…for beginners’ books. Alex and Andrzej talk about the latter’s artistic influences focussing in particular on his interest in silent movies.

October 4, 2007

Tonight’s Strip! at 5pm on Resonance 104.4FM is comprised of two interviews previously partially podcast…First we have the complete interview Alex Fitch conducted with Andrzej Klimowski about his half dozen Graphic Novels which range from silent movie surrealist Traumnovelles to “Beginner’s guides to…” art and philosphy. Later we have Duncan Nott & Alex’s interview with comics creators David Hine & Frazer Irving who have made super heroes comics with a twist, horror stories and graphic fantasies.

September 17, 2007

Alex Fitch interviews artist, novelist and lecturer at The Royal College of art, Andrzej Klimowski about his graphic novels ‘The Depository’, ‘The Secret’ and ‘Horace Dorlan’ plus his work on the ‘Introducing…’ / ‘…for beginners’ books. Alex and Andrzej talk about the latter’s literary and artistic influences as well as the evolution of his artistic style.